Expansion-trap.



F. L. WATSON.

EXPANSION TRAP.

APPLIOATION IILBD JAN.9.1914.

Patented May 12, 1914.

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FRANK L. WATSON, OF LYNCHBURG, VIRGINIA.

EXPANSION-TRAP.

inattesi.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 12, 1914.

Application filed January 9, 1914. Serial No. 811,243'.

T0 (1N wmf/n, t may concern.'

e it known that I, FRANK L. .Vn'isoN, a citizen o'l the United States.residing at Lynchburg', in the county of Campbell and State oi."lvrirginia, have invented certain new and useful improvements inllxpansitne Traps; and l. do hereby declare the following to be a tull,clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame.

My invention relates to relief devices for vapor and other heatingsystems, commonly known as expansion traps, and embodies certain novelfeatures in the construction ot' the same, as will be hereinafter .moredefinitely pointed out and claimed, reference being had to theaccompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly broken away, of my improvedexpansion trap. Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail sectional view of the valveof the same, taken at a right angle to Fig. 1.

Similar numerals of reference denote coi responding parts in the twoviews.

In the said drawing the reference numeral 1 denotes a tube, which may beot brass or other expansible metal, and which is threaded at one endinto a coupling 2, to which is also connected, in any suitable manner,the end ot' a pipe 3, which is in communication near the boiler with thereturn of a vapor heating system. The other end of pipe 1 is threadedinto a coupling 4, that has a side relief aperture 5. Said coupling 4Lalso has threaded thereinto a short pipesection 6, having an aperturedcap 7 threaded onto its outer end the two forming a stuffing box 7.Mounted loosely on the pipe section 6, between the coupling l and thecap 7, is a lever 8 having one end 9 bent at an angle and reduced at itsend lto substantially a knife edge to engage one end of a plate 10.Fixed in oppositely disposed ears 11 on the coupling 2 are two rods 12,disposed parallel with the tube 1, one of which passes through lever 8and has a nut 13 on its outer end, and the other of which passes freethrough lever 8 and also through plate 10, and has a nut 14 on its outerend.

Extending through cap 7 and pipe section 6 is a valve stem 15, formedwith a valve 16 at its inner end in coupling 4t adapted to seat incoupling 4l to close the end of tube l,

and at its outer end heilig provided with a nut 17 adapted to contactagainst the inner tace o 'l plate 10, the latter being apertured at 1bto receive freely the outer end of said valve stem coiled spring 19interposed on said valve stem 15 between cap 7 and nut 17, tends toretain the valve stem 15 and its val ve 1G iu unseated position withrespect to its seat in. coupling 4i.

In operation the device normally will remain in the position shown inthe drawing with the valve 1G unseated with respect to the end ot' tubel, due to the tension of spring 19 acting between cap 7 and nut 17, butwhen the steam or other heating vapor has filled the system and reachesand fills tube 1, the latter will expand longitudinally under its heat,and as the rods` 12 will be substantially unaffected by said heat thatend of lever 8 engaged by nut 13 willbeheld against movement, while thepressure ot the end of coupling el, which is moved longitudinally by theexpansion oi tubo 1, will move correspondingly the other end of lever 8which carries the bent end 9. This movement will be imparted to theouter end ot' plate 10, but as the latter is held against movement atits center by the nut 111; on the other rod 12, it will pivot on thatpoint, and its inner end moving inward will, by its Contact with the nut17 on valve stem 15, force the latter inward against the tension ofspring 19 and will seat the valve 1G against the end of tube 1, thuspreventing further escape of the steam or other vapor, as readily willbe understood.

By .my improved construction I obtain a quicker response than has beenobtained in thermostatic devices of this character heretofore, in thatthere is a coincident elongation of the tube l toward its valve 1G withthe movement oitl said valve toward its seat as described.

lVhile l have shown and described my im* proved device as particularlyadapted for use in the return of vapor systems, it will be understoodthat it is susceptible of many other uses, such as to drain the ends oflow In'cssure steam mains where the condensation is not returneddirectly to the boiler, or in connection with drain coils, steamkettles, steam cookers, high pressure headers or any other analogousdevices where athermostatic relief is desired.

Having thus described my invention, what rods, and a spring retractedvalve for said I Claim as new and desire to secure by Lettube operatedby said plate toward its closters Patent is: ing position with respectto said tube.

In a relief device for heating systems, a In testimony whereof I havehereunto set 5 thermostatioally extensible tube7 rods Xed my hand in thepresence of tWo subscribing 15 to the tube support and disposed parallelwitnesses.

with said tube, a lever adapted to be oper- FRANK L. WATSON. ated by theextension of said tube and pivlVitnesses: oted to one of said rods, aplate operated by JULIA J. LAVINDER,

10 said lever and pivoted to the other of said A. M. BOONE.

Solltet of this patent may be obtained for 've cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Pata-ts. Washington, D. C.

